The assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah on Wednesday was the latest act of political violence in America, and Maine politicians have united in denouncing it.
Security has become a concern for public figures in Maine ahead of a major election next year. While it’s not clear exactly what steps they are taking for the safety of themselves and their families, the issue is looming in the minds of candidates and the operatives working for them.
Kirk, the 31-year-old leader of conservative youth organization Turning Point USA and ally of President Donald Trump, died Wednesday after he was shot in the neck while speaking outside at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. Police said the suspected gunman fired one shot from the roof of a nearby campus building. He had not been caught as of Thursday afternoon.
Maine politicians are not getting specific about their security considerations. But campaigns are beginning to talk about the issue in a state known for close relationships between officials and their voters. While the Maine State Police provide the governor with a security detail, other big-name politicians travel the state without security in place.
“From the perspective of somebody who has … participated in Maine politics for a number of years, the political atmosphere has changed to the extent that every campaign needs a security plan,” said an operative who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss their campaign’s security plans. “It hasn’t always been this way.”
Trump faced an assassination attempt during last year’s presidential campaign. The home addresses of Maine lawmakers were taken off the Legislature’s website in June after a gunman in Minnesota killed a Democratic state representative and her husband and wounded a Democratic state senator and his wife.
Data on the number of incidents involving a threat against a legislator that have been reported to Maine Capitol Police in the past five years were not immediately available Thursday, with a records staffer telling a reporter it may take one to two weeks to pull those figures.
The Burton M. Cross Office Building that houses state government offices and legislative committee meeting rooms adjacent from the State House has also been undergoing security-related renovations for months after lawmakers over the years had expressed safety concerns. The State House makes visitors go through metal detectors.
Gov. Janet Mills, a Democrat, has made multiple public appearances around the state this month. Mills spokesperson Ben Goodman said Thursday that as “a matter of policy, we do not discuss security protocols related to the governor.”
The office of U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, whose former home in Bangor was targeted by a 2018 letter that contained white powder, noted the Senate’s 2026 appropriations bill for the legislative branch would fund additional security for members and also said the chamber and Capitol Police are evaluating measures and protocols for lawmakers, staff and visitors.
“The level of political violence and threats today is different than it was even a few years ago,” a spokesperson said in a statement that did not address whether Collins has adjusted security precautions.
U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, a Democrat from Maine’s 2nd District, previously said he bought additional guns in response to death threats he received after the 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol. He takes “necessary precautions to protect himself and his family but also believes that security is only one piece of the puzzle,” his office said Thursday.
“All of us, but especially those of us with large platforms, have to demonstrate care with the only thing we can truly control: Our own words and actions,” Golden added in a statement.
Jordan Wood, one of the Democrats candidates vying for the chance to take on Collins in 2026, has held town halls in different Maine counties since launching his campaign in April. He did not reveal specific protocols Thursday but said he and his team are “committed to meeting Mainers with openness and accessibility while also taking every measure necessary to ensure their safety and the safety of everyone involved.”
Maine Senate President Mattie Daughtry, D-Brunswick, deferred to her social media posts Wednesday after Kirk’s death that mentioned how the “rise in political violence in this country is completely unacceptable.”
Referring to the State House, Daughtry also said in a Thursday text message she continues “to do everything I can to keep our Senate and the whole building safe.”
BDN writer Michael Shepherd contributed to this report.
